The state's colleges and universities have not taken all the steps mandated by the Tennessee legislature to make it easier for students to attend lower-cost community colleges and then transfer the credits to the universities, a new performance audit says.

At the end of his first year at the Community College of Philadelphia, Christopher Thomas decided that his goal — to go back to school and get a degree — was no longer worth it. He was in debt from thousands of dollars in student loans.

Getting our state university system more closely working together with our technical college system would seem to be a win-win idea for our state and benefit many students who are seeking an education.

Audra Page made a penny-wise decision to start her education at a community college before transferring to Texas State University, but her attempt to overcome an expensive higher education system ended up more frustrating than frugal.

When students enroll at Grand Valley State University, they’re more likely now than a decade ago to take a class or two at another institution – typically a community college – as they pursue their degree.